


The road ahead

by Jaffre



Series: Captain Chungus and Phineas Welles: A Post-Game Emotional Contemplation [1]
Category: The Outer Worlds (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, NB Captain, POV First Person, Post-Game(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-08
Updated: 2019-11-08
Packaged: 2021-01-25 09:00:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21353644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaffre/pseuds/Jaffre
Summary: The Captain insists on Phineas taking a break from reviving the colonists.
Series: Captain Chungus and Phineas Welles: A Post-Game Emotional Contemplation [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1542040
Comments: 7
Kudos: 41





	The road ahead

The past week has been a blur. I've been helping Phineas with the reviving of the Hope colonists, and we've made good progress. Dozens of them are already working on what to do to save Halcyon after the disaster that was the Board's management. Some of them are still confused and disoriented, waking up 70 years later in a derelict colony wasn't what they signed up for, after all.

The Hope spaceship has become our new HQ of sorts, rooms have been cleared out for the colonists to settle into, workspaces have been established, and at the center of this machine, the hibernation chamber, which Phineas has barely left ever since I freed him from Tartarus.

I said I was helping him, but what do I know about the delicate science of reviving humans from decades long induced sleep? I'm just a glorified assistant. I help things running smoothly. Bring him the tools he needs. Keep people from badgering him. And make sure he doesn't forget to eat.

As I enter the room that serves as his lab, I find him at his work desk, mixing a new revival preparation. I don't understand much about it, but I know it's precise, and that we have a limited supply of this chemical I stole for him. Every drop of it count.

I'm only a few steps from him when the mixture slips from his hands; I barely manage to catch it before it hits the ground.

"Phineas. You're exhausted."  
"These colonists aren't going to revive themselves."

I settle the beaker on his desk. He's more jittery than usual.

"There won't be anyone left to revive them if you don't take care of yourself, mmh?"

I take one of his hands in mine and he doesn't protest. It's shaking. I hold it in both of mines. It lessens, but is still there.

"I can't stop now, they're counting on me."  
"They'll still be there tomorrow."  
"But we don't have much time!"

Silently, I lead him to a chair, and push him in. I'm not about to let this man ruin his own health.

"Phineas. Listen to me. You've done so much already. You saved more colonists than anyone thought was even possible! You're allowed to take a rest. You can carry on after you've had a good sleep."

He doesn't seem too pleased with my lecture. I can see in his eyes that he's trying to formulate a rebuttal, going through several stages of frowning before finally giving in.

"Fine." 

Still holding his hand, I lead him back to the Unreliable; it's more comfortable than the still derelict chambers of the Hope, and I've got plenty of spare rooms since my crew left for their own adventures. I don't mind guiding him to the bed, at this point the fatigue as caught up so much with him that if I were to let go of his hand he'd fall asleep on the spot. Which was my plan so he could rest, but he doesn't seem to want to let go of my hand. That's okay. I'm in no hurry. I grab a chair to sit facing him.

"Stay with me, will you? Humor an old man like me."  
"You do know that I'm not all that young either?" I try to liven the mood, but I can feel the heavy atmosphere surrounding us, and my smile falters.  
"I've made... horrible mistakes." His words strangled.  
"I know." I squeeze his hand. He's not the only one. My heart still tighten thinking of the people I... I killed... to get those chemicals.  
"If... If I don't act... If I let it go to waste... Then... then I'm just a..."  
"Hey, hey there, hey there..." I put my free hand on his cheek, softly rubbing his skin with my thumb. He looks up at me.

Our eyes meet.

Tears are swelling up in his, and I don't know what to say. Gently, I rest my forehead on his. Soon, we're hugging, and he's crying in my arms. I hold him so tightly against me. Oh I wish I could simply squeeze the bad feelings outta him. He doesn't deserve this weight on top of all of Halcyon's troubles to solve.

I don't know for how long we hugged, but when he released me, he thanked me. I left the room, left him to rest, and headed to mine. I didn't get much sleep that night, but it doesn't matter, as long as he could get some. After all, there's still a long road ahead of us.

**Author's Note:**

> Finished the game and immediately had to write this so I could give Phineas a hug.
> 
> Also I named my Captain Chungus. It was important to me that y'all knew that.


End file.
